This section provides background information, which is not necessarily prior art, related to the present disclosure. Charge air coolers are used with engines on vehicles to cool air that has been compressed and thus heated, relative to ambient temperature, by a turbocharger. In the process of cooling the air stream, moisture in the air condenses and then collects in the charge air cooler when humidity levels are relatively high and the engine is operating with the throttle partially open. The vapor, having condensed to liquid, may be drawn into the intake of the engine when the throttle opening increases from partial to fully open, for example. Liquid in the intake and in the intake air may cause misfiring or unstable combustion in the combustion chamber of the engine.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a turbocharged engine system 10 is depicted according to the prior art. The turbocharged engine system 10 includes an air intake filter housing 12, a turbocharger 14, a charge air cooler 16, and an engine 18. The turbocharger 14 includes a compressor 24 for supplying combustion air to an air intake of the engine 18 and a turbine 22 connected to the compressor 24 with a shaft. The turbine 22 receives exhaust gases from the engine 18 and drives the compressor 24, which compresses the intake air. The charge air cooler 16 receives the compressed air from the compressor 22 of the turbocharger 14 and cools the air as it passes therethrough. Condensate 26 then collects in the charge air cooler 16 and can be drawn into the engine 18, which is undesirable, because condensate from the charge air cooler 16 fouls combustion.